The task force members hurriedly grabbed their documents and rushed to the meeting room. Once everyone had gathered, they gave brief introductions.
Most of the people knew each other already. After all, the list mostly consisted of elite detectives from the precinct. They often attended meetings at the city headquarters and had crossed paths before. Only Shao Zhixin and a newbie from the neighboring team seemed unfamiliar, sitting in the corner and cautiously greeting everyone.
The person in charge this time was Captain Zhang, head of the city’s criminal police team. Unlike the steadily expanding waistline of Brother Huang, Captain Zhang was impressively fit. His muscular arms, resting on the table, tensed and displayed clear, defined lines.
His heavy single eyelids hid half of his sharp gaze, giving him a stern and unsmiling demeanor. When his eyes swept the room, they appeared cold and piercing, making him seem like a rather fierce individual.
Shao Zhixin stared at him for a few seconds, terrified that Zhang would notice him. He shrank his neck and thought, "Do you need this kind of presence to be a captain?"
"Will Brother Huang be a deputy forever?"
"Will I be a regular officer forever?"
Xu Yu, clearly experienced, noticed Shao Zhixin’s nervousness and kindly whispered, “Captain Zhang just has a bit of a poker face and some weak eye muscles. He’s not really that scary in person.”
Shao Zhixin was half-convinced, “Really?”
Captain Zhang started the meeting with a few terse words and swiftly began assigning tasks, having everyone report on their progress.
“Have we found the murder weapon?”
“Not yet. We haven’t dredged it up from the river, so we suspect the killer took it with them.”
“What about the communication records? Can we trace who he contacted before the crime?”
“No. His records are quite simple, mostly business partners. We’ve done an initial check, and all of them have an alibi. I suspect he might have a second phone account.”
Shao Zhixin scribbled notes furiously, smiling at the absurdity of the situation. The meticulous plans of Tao Xianyong and Han Songshan had ultimately provided cover for the killer, a twist that was both ironic and frustrating.
Brother Huang added, “Han Songshan came to City A secretly to help a company from City D take over Guangyi. He didn’t even tell his family. Before Tao Ruiming’s interview video came out, many people didn’t know he was back. His whereabouts after that were also mysterious, and he hadn’t contacted his friends here. We asked the relevant company officials, and they all claimed they didn’t know who he met that night.”
Captain Zhang lifted his head, and the shadow on the projection screen moved with him. “Isn’t Han Songshan originally from City A? He lived here for many years, right? Did he have any close friends?”
Brother Huang sat sideways, holding a pen over his files, and methodically answered, “According to our investigation, no. Han Songshan didn’t have many friends, mostly business associates, and not close enough to call him out to a deserted place on a rainy night. If it was for business, that location is even more suspicious.”
Captain Zhang asked, “Can we confirm the disposal site is the crime scene?”
“Yes. Han Songshan scratched the ground forcefully before he died. Although the traces were washed away by the rain, some soil and plant fibers remained under his fingernails, and there were also traces between his teeth.”
Brother Huang stood up, motioning to a colleague for assistance, and demonstrated with his pen, mimicking a stab to the chest.
“The two stab wounds on his body are on the front. The killer must have caught him off guard, stabbing his chest first, then quickly his abdomen. Han Songshan instinctively tried to block the second stab, which is why the second wound is shallower, and there’s a cut on his left palm.”
Brother Huang adjusted his angle and mimicked the movements.
“Judging by the force and angle, the killer was taller than Han Songshan. After being stabbed twice, Han Songshan fell and didn’t die immediately. Strangely, the killer didn’t finish him off or dispose of the body right away. He watched Han Songshan struggle on the ground, waiting until he died before throwing him into the river. That’s why there are plant fibers under his nails and between his teeth.”
Xu Yu raised a hand to report, “Han Songshan rented a car after returning to City A. According to our surveillance, he arrived in the suburbs at 8:32 PM on the 16th, parked near a gas station, had a snack at a nearby food stall, and then wandered around a supermarket. He left the surveillance range at 9:57 PM. He must have been about to meet the killer.”
Another colleague chimed in, “From the list provided by ‘Autumn’s End,’ only four people have an alibi after our preliminary check. Two people are still unreachable.”
The group then began theorizing based on the known clues and discussed the next steps of their investigation.
When the meeting ended and everyone went about their tasks, He Chuan Zhou returned with a colleague from outside.
She had tried contacting Wang Yifei again in the morning, only to get the same shutdown message.
Wang Yifei’s mysterious appearance and disappearance left He Chuan Zhou clueless about where to even begin looking for him.
As she sank into her large office chair, a sense of powerlessness enveloped her, a feeling she hadn’t experienced in a long time.
Relationships can easily fade with fewer interactions. Amidst the hectic whirlwind of studies and work, she had gotten used to Wang Yifei’s brief check-ins without noticing how distant they had become.
Her intuition for danger was usually spot on, and without answers, she felt uneasy. She texted Wang Gaozhan, asking if he could report Wang Yifei missing.
He only replied with “Okay” around 1 PM.
By evening, after finishing her tasks, He Chuan Zhou took some files to the neighboring team for help.
A colleague dialed Wang Yifei’s number, but it was still unreachable. He checked the travel records and told her, “Wang Yifei… hasn’t purchased any tickets out of City A. Is he a friend of yours?”
He Chuan Zhou hesitated, “He’s like a brother to me.”
The colleague said, “I see. He arrived in City A on the afternoon of the 16th and hasn’t made any new travel arrangements. He might still be here or hitched a ride with someone. Are you worried he’s in danger? Did he usually act suspiciously?”
He Chuan Zhou frowned, focusing on the first part, and confirmed, “The afternoon of the 16th?”
She bent down to look at his computer screen as he highlighted the information, “Yes, he took a train from City D to City A, arriving around 6 PM. Is there a problem?”
She had met him on the evening of the 17th. Where had he been in between?
Her mind raced, but she maintained her composure, “Nothing much. Just earlier than I thought, and he didn’t contact me right away.”
“You wouldn’t seem like the type to care about that,” the colleague joked, glancing at her and laughing, “Maybe he didn’t want to report his whereabouts. After all, he’s 24, and a day or two of silence isn’t unusual.”
He Chuan Zhou didn’t elaborate, instead asking him to keep her updated with any news.
“Please keep an eye on it and inform me if anything comes up.”
Her colleague cheerfully agreed, "Sure, I’ll look into more information about him. But it’s pretty busy these days, so you might want to come by tomorrow afternoon."
“Thanks.”
Just as He Chuan Zhou was about to leave the precinct, Zhou Tuoxing called her, saying, “Yifei sent a painting.”
The painting had been shipped from City D, likely ordered before Wang Yifei came to City A. It was heavy and hard to move, so He Chuan Zhou drove straight to Zhou Tuoxing’s place.
In the living room, she peeled off the protective layer to find that Wang Yifei had painted a scene from an old photo that He Xu used to keep in his room.
The photo was taken at a waterpark in the western district.
In the picture, He Xu stood in the shade of a tree, a few steps away from He Chuan Zhou, who was holding an ice cream bar upside down. She was standing at the end of a winding queue with a sunburned Zhou Tuoxing.
The three of them had turned their faces towards the camera. Besides He Xu, the other two looked a bit surprised and disheveled, their clothes half-wet and foreheads sweaty, squinting against the bright sunlight, their expressions strange and slightly tired.
Though they weren’t really smiling, their eyes were full of warmth.
The whole scene was strangely full of youthful joy.
When the photo was taken, Wang Yifei hadn’t joined them yet. After getting to know everyone, he pointed at the picture frame with envy, asking, “When can we take another one like this? I want one too.”
He Xu had promised him they would go again when everyone had time. Unfortunately, they never found the right opportunity.
In the painting, Wang Yifei had added himself, standing between He Xu and He Chuan Zhou, arms outstretched, his face dappled with light and shadow, smiling brightly.
Zhou Tuoxing, seeing her absorbed in the painting, placed a cup of water next to her hand and asked, “Still no news about Yifei?”
He Chuan Zhou shook her head.
Zhou Tuoxing sat down on the sofa, hesitating before asking, “How about the Han Songshan case? Any progress?”
He Chuan Zhou replied flatly, “It’s not my case.”
“Why not?” Zhou Tuoxing paused, thinking deeply and becoming upset. “Are they sidelining you? Do they suspect you? You weren’t in charge of Tao Xianyong’s case either. What did you do wrong? Just because you’re easy to talk to, they expect you to step back?”
He Chuan Zhou found his sudden indignation amusing. She placed the painting flat on the table and said, “It’s different. Han Songshan’s wife lodged a complaint with the higher-ups. During sensitive times, Director Feng doesn’t want to give people any ammunition.”
“So a complaint is enough?” Zhou Tuoxing’s tone was accusatory, his expression dark. “What if I complain too?”
He Chuan Zhou laughed at his odd idea, “What are you planning?”
Zhou Tuoxing replied righteously, “Citizens have equal rights.”
His frustration was palpable, and he soon grew restless, shifting positions, elbows on his knees, searching for answers on his phone.
He Chuan Zhou sat close to him, watching as he typed “What happens if both parties complain to the police?” into the search bar. After scrolling through two pages without finding a suitable answer, he was about to call a lawyer.
"And in what capacity are you going to file this complaint?" she asked, grabbing his phone, turning off the screen and setting it aside.”
“Concerned citizen,” Zhou Tuoxing muttered, “Is that not okay?”
Feigning contemplation, she replied seriously, “Sure, but it might not be appropriate for a police officer’s family member.”
Zhou Tuoxing froze for a moment.
“Don’t make trouble for the police,” she instructed.
Zhou Tuoxing quieted down, his anger dissipating. He picked up the water cup from the table, took a sip, and after a while, generously said, “Then forget it. It’s not worth the trouble.”
He Chuan Zhou held back her laughter, “Thank you for your understanding, concerned citizen.”
---
In mid to late April, when the weather remained clear for a few days in a row, the heat began to rise from all directions. As the leaves deepened in color, the temperature climbed rapidly.
The next morning at 8:30, with traces of morning dew still in the air, the streets were bustling as Jiang Pingxin’s homeroom teacher brought her to the precinct.